Songbird
by hotforteacher
Summary: Gillian has to make a choice between the man she's been in love with for 10 years or the man that will love her unconditionally forever. Who will she choose? Who would you choose? Rated for a couple cuss words. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! I know it's been a while since I've uploaded anything, but I found this on my computer and I decided to finish it up and publish it! :)**

**So this fic is in 6 parts. I have finished the story and I will be posting a chapter a day!**

**Not mine. If I owned this wonderful show then I would have never canceled it! I also don't own the song 'Songbird', but if you get a chance go listen to it! It's absolutely gorgeous!**

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><p>"Oh shit… I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean… I…" She took a deep breath as she turned to look the other way. "I thought that you were alone. I… I didn't know… I mean I didn't hear any… anything." Tears were starting to burn her eyes. She forced them to stay back, at least until she was alone. She placed the thick file on the coffee table and said as confidently as possible, "Make sure you look over them before you sign." Then, trying to not look like a complete idiot, she sprinted out of the office.<p>

Cal was just buckling his belt when he called out, "Gillian, come back. We don't need to act like a bunch of school girls." It was too late; she was probably back into the safety of her own office. Cal turned to the woman behind his desk, who was still buttoning up her black shirt. He held his arms in the air and then slapped them across his legs. He slouched his body into the sofa and looked back at the door. It was a couple of minutes before he said anything. He turned back to the voluptuous brunette sitting in his seat and said, "I think that just ruined the thought of an office shag. Wouldn't you agree?"

Sharon Wallowski stood up and walked over to where Cal was sitting. She bent down and steadied herself by placed her hands on his knees. She shrugged her shoulders and whispered, "I thought it was quite entertaining." She lifted herself up and smiled down upon Cal. "I'll see you around."

Cal grinned like a silly little school boy as she sashayed out of his office. He definitely loved the view from the back. After he heard the click from the door, his grin quickly disappeared from his face. A bumpy road laid in front of him and he wasn't too excited to get the motor running.

/\

Gillian spent the most part of the morning in her office, crying her eyes out. She had known from quite some time that Cal and Wallowski were sleeping together. But knowing and seeing are two very different things.

Once she ran out of tears, she wiped her face with a tissue. She stood up and smothered out all of the wrinkles from her black dress. Her eyes glanced over to the mirror and she couldn't help but notice that she was back to wearing dark, boring colors. Despite her eyes being blood shot and red and her face being pale, she still looked put-together. It was a credit to her mother; who after all of the verbal abuse she took from her alcoholic husband she would walk out of the house with a big smile on her face, like nothing ever happened. That kind of stress, however, caught up to her mother, causing her to have a heart attack. She died after her third one.

Gillian placed her hand over her heart to make sure that it was still beating properly. She stayed that way for several minutes. Once she was certain that she was still alive, she grabbed her purse. Before walking out of the door, Gillian made sure that her makeup was flawless and her eyes were back to normal. She was in desperate need of some sweet coffee. Not the best thing for her heart, but it was better than drinking alcohol at 10:42 in the morning. She walked out of her office to an empty corridor. As it should be, since she was there on a Saturday. No rest for the hard workers. At least Cal wasn't trying to chase her down, wanting to explain what had happened in his office.

"Oi, Gillian?"

Her thoughts came too soon. She kept walking, not wanting to look at his face just yet.

"Gillian, we're gonna have to talk about it."

She stopped after hearing his words echo down the hall. Though her tears have dried up, her heart was still crying. She couldn't see him, it was too soon. Then out of nowhere, she felt warmth surround her arms.

Cal had to touch her. He had to tell her that he was sorry. "Gillian, this was neva meant to intentionally hurt you."

Gillian shrugged her way out of his grasp. "Well whatever it was, just make sure to do it on your own time, in your own house. Not in a place where we work together." She cleared her throat and straightened out her dress once more. She was a creature of habit, and straightening her dress was a way to calm herself down. It was something that her mom used to do as well. She subconsciously brought her hand back up to her heart. She had to pick a different habit. When she found her voice, she said over her shoulder, "I'm going out for coffee. I'll be back in 20 minutes."

With her legs feeling like jelly, she walked into the elevator. She pressed 'G' and stole a glance down the hallway before the doors closed. Cal was staring at her with the steadiest of eyes. Right as the door closed, Cal lost eye contact by looking down to the floor. She could feel his sadness creeping in through the ten inch thick, stainless steel door. She leaned back into the handle bar letting her head rest against the mirror.

Was he really depending on her to make the first move? How typical of a man.

When the bell dinged and the doors opened, Gillian briskly walked out into the lobby. With her head spinning in all sorts of directions, she didn't see the man coming towards her. They soon collided. Her purse fell to the ground with all of its contents along with it. Gillian groaned and bent down to retrieve her purse. To her surprise, the man she bumped into bent down to help her. She looked up at him and shyly smiled. "I'm so sorry for bumping into you. I guess I'm just really clumsy today."

"You're alright. I 'ave to admit love, I was preoccupied as well." His English accent was very familiar to her. He almost sounded like Cal but with a deeper voice. Maybe he was from the same region as Cal.

Once her things were safely back in her purse, she stood up to get a better look at the man she bumped into. He was a little bit taller than her (with her heels on) with chocolate brown hair and eyes to match the color of the ocean. When he smiled, dimples pressed into his cheeks. Gillian returned the smile and said, "I'm sorry for bumping into you. Thank you for helping me pick up my purse." She bowed her head. "Have a good day." She walked towards the door leading to the street.

She was about to cross the threshold, when the man called out, "I hope we bump into each other again."

For the first time that morning, Gillian's smile reached her eyes. And it felt good. She didn't have to bother to look back; she knew that the man was staring at her. She swayed her hips with a little more frisk as the sun warmed her skin.

/\

Once Gillian had her coffee in her hands, she sat on a park bench and took her time drinking it. It would have taken her ten minutes at most to get her coffee and walk back to the Lightman Group, but she wanted, no, needed to take her time.

After her coffee was done, she threw her cup away and looked at her watch. She was surprise to find that 15 minutes had passed. To her it felt more like 2 minutes. She started walking towards the office, but she didn't rush herself. All she had to come back to was a mile long of personnel reports to read, financial reports to write up and Cal. The latter part of that list was the most dreadful, but hopefully he took the hint to not talk about what happened.

The walk back went by quickly and she was soon in the elevator pressing the number '4'. When the doors opened, she walked into an empty hallway. She was halfway to her office when she heard her name.

"Oi, Foster." They were back to last names. Perfect.

Gillian turned around to see Cal coming from the lab. "Cal, there's a lot I need to do by the end of the day and I can't stand here and talk to you about what happened this morning. Let's just leave it as me not being polite and knocking before I come into your office, okay?"

"And wot, may I ask, did you walk in to find?" A deep English accent came in from behind Gillian. It was so familiar to her, but his question made her blush a deep scarlet red. When he didn't get an answer, he made his own conclusion. He walked passed Gillian, right up to Cal. "Oh you sly lil' buggar. You were always the naughty one, getting caught in different places, humping like a lil' bunny rabbit." He gave Cal a punch in the arm and then looked back at Gillian. "I'm glad we got to bump into each other again, eh?"

Gillian bowed her head and laughed. "I just wasn't expecting it to be so soon."

The man held out his hand and introduced himself. "John McKnight."

Gillian took his hand and shook it. She couldn't help but feel the electricity building up between them. Her heart was beginning to beat faster. "Gillian Foster." They let go of their hands, but the voltage remained. "How do you know Cal?" She was praying in her head that he wasn't some seedy lowlife with a rap sheet the size of Texas.

"Cal and I are cousins. Well, distant cousins, but cousins at that." He looked over at Cal, who was still looking at Gillian. "I 'aven't seen him since we was kids playing in my mother's garden." John leaned in closer to Gillian and whispered, "And even then, he was gettin' himself into more trouble than he could handle."

Cal shook his head slightly and said, "Speakin' o' trouble, by the looks of it, you're in a spotted heap yourself."

John blushed slightly and nodded his head. "Yes, well, surely you believe me when I say that she is lying."

"What's happened?" Gillian was genuinely concerned.

Cal looked at Gillian with big eyes and a smile playing at his lips, "Apparently, John's best mate knocked up his girlfriend."

"I just want you to make sure. I'm willing to pay whatever your asking price is."

Before Cal had the chance to turn down his money, Gillian piped up, "Shall I get a contract then?"

Cal looked bewildered, "Gillian, he's my cousin."

"Yes and a client." She turned to John and said evenly, "We take cash, credit and checks. Make sure to make the check out to the Lightman Group."

John had a silly grin on his face. He elbowed Cal in the arm and said in a low voice, "Oi mate, she's feisty. I like feisty women. I thought you liked'em feisty as well?" He shrugged his shoulders and mock saluted Gillian, "You will have a check after I know the truth about Ruby."

Gillian pointed to her office to invite John in. "Well, we do require a deposit at the time of signing the contract." Both of them walked into her office, leaving Cal in the hallway to ponder what had just happened.

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><p><strong>AN: When you picture John, picture Hugh Grant. :D Yummmm!**

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! Thank you for all of the reviews/ alerts/ favorites! You'll have made coming back to FF very nice! :)**

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><p>"She is looking very fearful right here. Her pitch went up and you can see that her heart rate going through the roof. She is not being totally honest when I asked her if the father knew yet." Gillian was too busy looking at the footage to notice John collapsing in a chair, cradling his head in his hands.<p>

Cal walked by Gillian, patting her on the back. She turned and saw what had happened. Cal walked up to John and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I did my own research and asked her point blank if you were the father. In her own heart, she believes that you are the dad. But, she was hesitant. In all honesty, she doesn't know herself."

Gillian leaned against the table and said, "You won't know for sure if you are the real dad until the baby is born."

It was a while before anyone spoke. Both Gillian and Cal looked down at John with a mixture of pity and sadness. John looked up and scraped his fingers through his hair. He took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. He looked over to Cal and smiled weakly. "Thanks for your help mate." He held out his hand for Cal to shake.

Cal took it but didn't let go. "Why don't I take you out to get a drink?"

"Not necessary. In fact I would rather be alone." He started to walk towards the door. Before he opened it, he turned around and said, "Thank you for doing… well, what ya did. I'll 'ave that check for you by tomorrow."

Cal swiped his hand through the air. "Nah, you don't owe us nothin'. We were never able to give you a definite answer." He looked over to Gillian, who was still staring at John.

John shook his head and said as he opened the door, "I'll 'ave tha check for you by tomorrow." And then he closed the door, leaving no more room for discussion.

Gillian and Cal watched the door for a moment or two. Then Gillian leaned over and pinched Cal's arm. "Ow! Wot the hell was tha' for?"

"You should go after him. He's your cousin, you know." She folded her arms against her chest and looked at Cal with stern eyes.

Cal rubbed the spot where Gillian pinched him and looked back at the door. "Nah, the man deserves to drink alone." He looked over to Gillian, who was still staring at him, willing him to do something. Cal threw his hands in the air, "At least for tonight, then tomorrow I'll get him bloody shitfaced."

Gillian rolled her eyes, "Real mature Cal." She turned away from him to look at the footage.

He grabbed her shoulders and brought her back around so that she was facing him. He hadn't touched her since that morning after she caught him shagging Wallowski in his office. He had kept his distance like a good little boy and to be honest, he was getting sick of it. He is a touchy-feely kind of guy, so not being able to touch Gillian on the arm or around her waist was pure torture. He felt her stiffen by his embrace. He didn't pay too much attention to that little part. "Listen Gillian, the man just found out that his child might not be his child after all. That does something to a man, especially one who was looking forward to starting a family. He deserves to drink alone, at least for one night. You understand, right?"

Gillian sighed and looked back at the door. "He needs to talk to someone and you know he won't find whatever he is looking for at the end of the bottle." He started to rub her arms with his fingers. She cleared her throat and said, "How many times did I find you passed out on the floor?"

Cal smiled at those dreadful memories, "Too many times to count." He was very happy to see them long gone.

"And you know what I thought the first time I saw you crack open a bottle of scotch after Zoe left? He deserves to drink alone just this one night."

Cal stopped rubbing her skin and tilted his head back so he could see Gillian's face completely. "That's a lie."

Gillian took advantage of his relaxed hands and stepped away from Cal completely. In an instant, goosebumps began to rise on her skin with the loss of his heat. "Well, yes, that was a lie, but you don't know how many times I wanted to take that bottle away from you and throw it out the window. But I couldn't because then you would have pushed me away and I was the only one willing to stay with you." Feeling like she said too much, she backtracked a little. "Well at least around you in your stinky clothes." She looked back at him to see that he had a faraway look in his eyes and he was slightly biting his bottom lip. It was one of the rare opportunities to see Cal with his guard down. Gillian looked away to the computer screen feeling like she was seeing something private.

Cal's head was spinning. She wanted to be around him when he was at his worst. And yet he was still fooling around with Wallowski. He should be fooling around with Gillian, shagging her in his office, not Wallowski. But yet, something was holding him back from confessing his true feelings. But what was it? This was one of those rare instants where he was questioning everything that he has done in his life. It was something he usually did by himself, in the comfort of his own dark and lonely house, with a big bottle of scotch within reach. He shook the fog from his eyes and saw that Gillian was looking away from him. "I'll check on him later, but for now let the man drink in peace."

Gillian, not wanting to argue or give up anymore of her secrets, nodded her head and turned off the computer. Before walking out of the lab, she softly said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Cal." She patted his shoulder and walked out of the door.

Cal watched her leave, with a sudden craving of wanting more of her touch.

/\

Gillian walked into the pub shrugging off the water from her jacket. Despite it being a beautiful day, the night turned out to be cold and rainy. Her eyes darted around the bar until she found who she was looking for.

John was nursing his fourth glass of scotch on the rocks when Gillian bellied up to the bar next to him. She motioned for the bartender and ordered a dry martini with three olives. After the barman got her order, she folded her hands over her lap and waited for John to start talking.

It took him awhile to think of something to say, but it seemed to him that Gillian was waiting patiently for him. He appreciated that more than someone coming up to him and asking a million questions. When the bartender dropped off her drink, he downed his own in one gulp and motioned for another one. He looked over to Gillian and said in a croaked voice, "I was 'oping with all o' my 'art that the child wos mine."

"There hasn't been any testing done. The child could still be yours." She was very good at sounding optimistic.

John slowly shook his head. "I don't 'ave that 'feeling' of bein' a dad." The bartender dropped off his drink and John took a minute to gather his thoughts while he took a sip. Gillian took that as a cue to take a sip from her own drink. "My ex wife back in London got pregnant a couple years before we divorced. When she told me that she was goin' to 'ave a baby, I got this feelin' in the pit o' my stomach. It was a mix of joy and anticipation. It didn't go away till a couple o' days after she lost it." He bowed his head down onto the bar. He had never talked about this with anyone, not even his ex-wife. Gillian placed a soft hand over his shoulder but didn't say anything. John lifted his head up and wiped his wet cheek on his sleeve. "I didn't get that same feelin' in the pit o' my stomach when Ruby told me about the baby. She kept swearin' up and down that it wos mine, but somewhere in the back o' my mind I know it ain't. Then all the research you and Cal did just sealed the deal."

The both of them sat in silence for a couple of minutes letting the rest of the bar serve as background noise. Gillian set down her drink on the bar and turned to John. "I understand that feeling you were describing. I think every new parent get's that feeling. But please, don't put all of your eggs in one basket. There is still a chance, however small that it may be, that the child could be yours."

"Wot if it ain't?"

"Then you move on. Unless you want to care for that child like he was your own."

John shook his head again, this time a little bit more firmly. "Nah, Richard already said he would take care o' it if it was his." He had a look of absolute disgust cross his face before he downed the rest of his drink.

He signaled for another round but Gillian placed her hand over his and whispered, "Would you like to go get dinner with me? I know a place right down the road that has the best burgers." She desperately wanted him to say yes and she made sure that she showed it on her face. John sighed and then nodded. Gillian smiled and patted him on the back of his hand. "Great! You're going to love this place! I'll even pay!"

John reached for his wallet and shook his head. "Nah, you shouldn't pay for me."

Gillian also got out her wallet from her purse. "But I insist. I'm the one who offered, so I should be the one to pay. Plus you can get dinner next time."

John handed the bartender his credit card and blocked Gillian from giving hers. "I'll pay for the lady's drink." The bartender nodded and went off to the register. He looked over to her and grinned. "You're feisty, aren't ya." He put his hand over his heart and said, "I promise to get dinner next time."

Gillian playfully hit him on the shoulder but put her card away. After a couple of seconds, she leaned over and simply said, "Thank you."

When he was signing his bill, he leaned over and asked, "So 'ow did ya find me? Washington is a big city."

Gillian shrugged, "It's the first bar/ pub you come to after you walk out of our building. Many times after a hard case or something personal happens, I find Cal in a dark booth in the corner." She pointed to the darkest corner in the bar, where a couple was sitting, sharing a passionate kiss. "I figured you two are related and so somethings must be similar."

John laughed as he pushed out his chair. "I think you've had me pegged since I first bumped into you."

"Nope, I'm just psychic, I guess." She stood out of her seat and linked her arm with his.

John let out another laugh as they walked out of the bar together.

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><p><strong>TBC...<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**The suga just keeps on coming! I am humbled! :) Slight spoilers for "Exposed."**

**P.S. John is meant to be a likable character. Unlike Hugh Grant, he didn't sleep with a prostitute while married to the gorgeous Elizabeth Hurley. :P**

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><p><span>A couple weeks later:<span>

Gillian walked in to the Lightman Group feeling like she was on top of the world. The night before she had been on her fifth date with John and they spent several minutes making out on her porch. Their relationship has been growing ever since that night they had dinner together. And to Gillian's relief, he wanted to take it just as slow as she did. They went on dates and held hands and flirted shamelessly. For the first time in a long time, she was happy.

"Oi, Foster? Do you have tha' voice analysis on whats-his-name from the mayor's office?" Cal walked up to her from his office and linked arms with her.

She took his arm and smiled curtly at him. She hadn't told Cal about her relationship with John. For all he knew, they didn't have one. For one small second, she felt guilty for not telling him, but then she pushed that thought away from her mind. He kept things from her all the time and her private life was just that, private. Plus, she deserved to be happy before the Hurricane Cal swooped in and ruined everything.

Cal stopped walking, which caused Gillian to stop as well. "You just had a look of guilt pass by. Why?" His arm slipped out from hers so that he could face her.

She squinted her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Will you ever do as I ask and stop reading me?"

"No and don't deflect."

Gillian sighed. He could be so infuriating sometimes. "I will have that voice analysis for you in about 20 minutes. Let me put down my stuff and make a couple of phone calls and I will meet you in the lab, okay?" She turned towards her office and started walking.

"Your seein' someone, aren't you? You came in lookin' so bloody happy. I hope this wanker doesn't mind getting' his picture takin'."

He was trying to get a rouse out of her, but she was too quick and too smart for his trick. "Just as long as your mother's birthday is still the same."

She disappeared around the corner of her office before Cal had time to respond to her threat. For a moment he smiled and then turned and went straight to the lab.

/\

By lunch time the video's that needed to be viewed and processed were in the 'finished' stack, leaving the employees to have a long lunch break. Everyone in the lab scurried out for fear of being told to come back, except for Cal and Gillian.

She stood up and stretched her arms high into the air, her bones and joints making sounds like a whip. She was about to turn and leave when Cal grabbed her attention. "So I notice on your phone records that a lot o' people call you. The three gentlemen that call you consistently and daily is me, John and a wanka named William Macaroe." He turned his seat around so that he was facing her. She was stunned into silence. Cal knew his only had a matter of seconds before she would explode in his face for 'invading her privacy'. "I know for sure that me and you aren't datin'." Cal wanted to add 'just yet', but held his tongue. "John just got over a nasty break-up, which is still messy by tha looks of it. Which leaves William Macaroe. Who is he and what does he do?" He started to swivel his chair side to side while staring at her face for a reaction.

Gillian was still shocked that Cal saw her personal phone records. Then she did something that she has never done with Cal ever before. She turned on her heels and walked out, not leaving any room for discussion.

Well of course, Cal raced out of his chair and caught up to her in her office. She was fuming mad. At least Cal was smart enough to stay behind the door, but that didn't stop his mouth. "Oi, I asked you a question. Who is he, Foster?" Gillian picked up a heavy looking binder and threw it towards Cal's head. It barely passed by him. He poked his head through the door and said, "Okay, I can see that you are a lil' pissed, you know with you bein' on your cycle and all, but I still wanna know who he is. You can either tell me now or I follow you around for tha next week."

The door was wrenched from his body and there stood Gillian, mad as hell and ready to throw some punches. Cal backed up to the other side of the hallway, leaving plenty of enough space for her to walk without hitting him. Gillian walked by, swinging her purse over her shoulder. Before she turned the corner, she stopped and said deadly serious, "Bill Macaroe is like a second dad to me and he lives in California. If your small pea brain deducted correctly, that actually leaves John, in which we will be having our sixth date tonight. If I see that you are following us, then believe me Cal Lightman, I will definitely give you a show that you'll never forget." She whipped her head around and walked out of sight.

Cal was then left with shock plastered over his face.

/\

Cal walked out of the elevator into the posh hallway. He stormed over to apartment 39. Before knocking, he placed his ear to the door and listened for any sounds. When he didn't hear anything, he knocked as loud as he could. Within a matter of seconds a confused looking John opened the door. Cal pushed his way through and walked into the living room. He paused and turned so that John could catch up with him.

John closed the door quickly and walked up to Cal, now with concern in his eyes. "Cal, are you okay? You look like you've seen a bloody ghost."

Cal was trying to control his emotions. He didn't want any private information or feelings to slip out. Anger brings out the truth in Cal. That's why he would always turn everything into a joke; he didn't want people seeing the truth. And to be honest, jealous/ angry Cal was the worst of the bunch because instead of showing his true feelings, he would say them outright. The waters had to be treaded lightly. So Cal took a deep breath and invaded John's personal space. He pointed his finger in his face and said in a low tone, "If you eva, and I mean eva break her heart, I'll murder ya and make it look like a bloody accident. Do I make myself clear?" He made sure that John was being honest when nodded his head. Cal then backed out of his personal space and started to walk towards the door.

He was stopped when John grabbed him by the arm. "Listen, mate, if I knew you fancied her then I never would 'ave gone further than the dinna."

"Wot dinna?"

John opened and closed his mouth for a couple of seconds, showing genuine shock. "Oh, I thought you knew. In fact I thought you sent Gillian after me to be my look-out."

Cal shook his head, looking more confused. "I dunno any such thing."

John just shrugged his shoulders and explained, "Tha' night, after you gave me the results about Ruby, Gillian came into the bar and sat down next to me. She was very nice and we talked for a while, then she took me outta dinna. If I were to 'ave known tha' you fancied her, then I would've kept my mouth shut."

Cal shook his head and threw his hand through the air. "Nah, it's all good. Plus I don't fancy her like tha'."

John let out a ruckus laugh. "Cal, I 'ave known you since we was lil' kids. I know when you fancy someone and you fancy her. Why else would you come all the way over to my flat in the middle of the day to threaten me on if I break her heart?" Cal just shrugged his shoulders looking down at his shoes, kicking off imaginary dirt from the floor. John stared at his cousin for a couple of long seconds. Finally he asked, "Do you want me to end it with her?" Cal was about to answer when John stopped him. "Now before you answer the question, think about it. This could turn into a serious relationship. I like her, mate. She's gorgeous, elegant and a great kisser. Now, we 'aven't gone on to the heavier stuff, but it's headin' tha' way. Do you want me to break it off with her?" With all of his might, John prayed that Cal would say no.

Cal saw that John wanted to keep seeing Gillian. How could he stand in his way? He's had his chance to date her and kiss her and make love to her, but being the coward that he is, he looked the other way. It was his fault that she slipped through his fingers and he had to take responsibility for it. It was just so damn hard for him to say no to John. Cal would just have to keep his fingers crossed that it didn't get too serious. A bet he was willing to chance. After all, Gillian will always be his 'roulette'. Cal genuinely smiled at his cousin, "Don't break it off with her. Plus, she'll neva get with you, your too much of a wanker."

John playfully hit Cal on his shoulder, "She didn't think I was a wanker last night."

Cal went a little rigid and quickly said, "All right, I'm leavin'." Cal turned and walked out the apartment with a wave of his hand.

A few seconds after Cal left, John laughed to himself and then went back to his desk to work.

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><p><strong>TBC...<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**For all the suga, I have a nice long chapter for you! :)**

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><p>His lips were just as hungry as hers. Fighting for dominance has never been their thing, but at this particular moment, in the heat of passion, it was top priority. At first Gillian was winning by digging her nails through his hair and forcing him to deepen their kiss. Then it was John who pushed her up against the front door sliding his hand down her side. It was when they heard a loud horn from the traffic on the street did they stop for oxygen.<p>

They leaned into each other, not daring to say a word to ruin the sizzling moment. Gillian looked up, almost timidly and asked, "Do you want to come inside?"

She hadn't asked him that question since they started their relationship. He was glad they were taking it slow but it was getting harder and harder to control himself each night after their dates. Who wouldn't say no to this woman? However, everything that went on with Ruby and the fact that his cousin likes her has him thinking second thoughts.

Like she was reading his mind, Gillian placed her hand on his cheek and smiled. "I am very sure about this. Let's go in. Okay?"

Being a little hesitant at first, John nodded and then grinned. Gillian turned around and unlocked her door. Before walking in, she grabbed his hand and kissed his cheek. It was a very intimate gesture. He squeezed her hand and then they walked in.

/\

Right as the door closed, Cal turned on the engine. He couldn't watch anymore. He thought that he was perfectly disguised; making sure to stay at least 15 feet back, wearing a reasonable disguise (a gray sweater he has never worn and dollar store sunglasses) and, most importantly, not bringing any attention to himself (which was the hardest thing to do). But, none the less, apparently his disguise wasn't so… well hidden. He almost thought of not even following her, but he had to see if she was really happy. That's what distinguished himself from a stalker; he was looking out for her happiness. Cal rolled his eyes at the last thought, threw his cheap sunglasses in the back seat and drove off.

The drive back to his home was a quiet one, the air heavy with self loathing and regret. He should be in there with her, not John. He shook his head. He had a feeling that he has told himself that a million times in the past 24 hours. It was his own fucking loss and he should take it like any other responsible adult.

Just then his cell rang. He thought about just letting it go to voice mail, but in the last minute he picked it up. "'ello?"

"Hey Cal, I have been waiting in the bar for about an hour now, where the hell are you?" It was Wallowski and she sounded pissed.

Cal couldn't have cared less. "Listen love, I can't come out and play with you tonight. Why don't you accept that drink from the man across the bar and let him shag you senseless tonight, yeah?"

"Fuck you." And with that, she hung up on him.

He shrugged his shoulders and threw his phone into the passenger sink. "Her bloody loss." Or his win. She was sure to be out of the picture. She was a very proud woman. Taking shit like that from a man was never accepted by her. She was probably going to wait for him to call her back and apologize, but he wasn't. He had other things to worry about, like how he was going to get Gillian back in the picture. He had tried the 'pulling the pigtails' strategy, where little boys would pull a girl's pigtails to show her that he liked her. It obviously didn't work; in fact it pissed her off and sent her in the wrong direction. Well, there was that one night after coming back from the coal mines to find that she was very drunk and wanted to be very close to him. There were a few momenst where if he were to move forward just an inch, their lips would be touching. Cal spent many nights thereafter dreaming about that night. The way she looked… the way she smelled…

Soon, Cal was pulling into the driveway and parked his car. He walked into his house and made a beeline to his liquor cabinet. If he was going to think of ways to woo Gillian, he needed his best thinking tool, scotch. For some reason, it always gave him a clear head before getting to the drunk stage. He was about to pour himself a nice helping when someone behind him said in a worried voice, "Are you okay?"

He turned to see Emily looking at him with concern and a little bit of pity. He turned back and splashed some scotch into his glass, though not as much as he wanted. He exhaled as he stood up. "Peachy, love. How was your day?"

Emily wasn't buying it. "Don't change the subject, dad. I can tell that something happened. You have the lost puppy dog look all over your face." She pointed to his face as he passed by her. "Come on dad, I thought we agreed that we can talk to each other as adults."

Cal walked straight to the kitchen with Emily following close behind. "Why do you want to grow up so fast? When you're my age, you'll wish that you were a child again."

"Is that what's bumming you out. You finally realized that you're an old fart?" Cal stopped abruptly almost having Emily run right into him.

"Wot did you say?" He didn't sound angry, just confused.

Emily huffed, "Now that I've got your attention, what happened?"

Cal pursed his lips for a mere second and then went back to making his way to the kitchen. When he got there, he immediately went for the cupboard to get a can of beans and some bread. "For your information, I'm not an old fart. I think I look good for my age." He posed in front of her before resuming his task of cooking.

Emily sat on the bar stool and folded her arms on the counters. "Why are you constantly changing the subject? Did something happen with Gillian?"

Cal slumped his shoulders and leaned against the counter for support. "A lot of things 'ave happened with Gillian." He figured as Emily was getting older, she was able to read him more fluently. Another price for having his type of talent, those around you have become experts and will use it against you, like you have to them.

Emily took pity again and said, "I'm assuming that they haven't been good things."

Cal simply said, "No."

They sat in silence while Cal toasted his bread and warmed the beans. Emily sat in her seat looking at her dad very patiently. When his' beans on toast' was made, he turned and started eating. After inhaling and stuffing it down his throat, he took a swig of his scotch. He looked up at Emily and quietly said, "Gillian 'as fallen in love."

At first she looked surprised and then asked, "With who?"

"With my cousin who is here from England. After he found out that the baby his girlfriend was carrying wasn't his, she went to go comfort him. They are right now, shagging in her apartment."

Emily crinkled her brow and slowly asked, "Did you follow them?"

He shrugged his shoulder and took another sip from his glass. "Only up to the door. After they went in, I left."

She exhaled slowly. "Well I'm glad you haven't gone off the deep end, yet." Cal just nodded, not knowing what to say after that. She looked worried as she saw her dad leaning against the counter. She leaned over it and placed her hand over his arm. "Dad, you should have-"

"I know what I should have bloody well done." He blew up. All the feelings he had been burying inside since this whole fiasco started was coming out with no way of stopping it. "I should have taken her by her waist, kissed her until we couldn't breathe and then profess my love until she got it in her head that I was serious about it. I know I should have done it a long time ago. But for the bloody life of me, I don't know why I didn't do it. And now here I am, paying the price for it; I'm talking to you, drinking scotch and thinking of ways to get her back instead of making love to her." That last little bit, he shouted at Emily as he threw his hands in the air. Then he swiped his glass off the counter, making it shatter against the floor. He turned around and banged his fists against the counter. His breathing was very erratic with a temper to match. He needed to take control before anything else slips out. He didn't mean to go that far with his daughter, but something inside him snapped and he just couldn't shut up. He couldn't look at Emily now, he was too afraid of what he might see; anger, fear, confusion, disappointment.

Emily had to back away a little. She wasn't in fear of her life, she was afraid that her dad had gone off the deep end. She had seen him go off the deep end once before; when her mom left him for good. The only thing that kept him sane was the fact that Gillian was around to make sure he was okay. He didn't have that now. All he had was her. When she spoke, she tried to sound as confident as possible. It turned out to be very shaky, "Dad, I'm sorry."

Her three little words calmed him down drastically. He never, ever wanted to make his little girl fearful of him. He turned and walked towards her. He dragged her into a big hug. They stayed that way for a long time. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tightly. He was patting her hair as he said, "I'm sorry for losin' my temper like that. I promise neva to do it again love."

She looked up and kissed his cheek. "Dad, you have to get her back. She is the only one to make you whole again."

He looked down and crinkled his brow. "You're my daughter, you are my everything."

"I'll be leaving soon for college. I won't be here all the time. Not like Gillian. She can make you happy." She laughed and squeezed her dad around his waist. "Hell, she's already made you happy. She can make you feel like you."

Cal leaned back and grabbed Emily lightly by her chin. "Oi, I neva wanna here you say that kind of word."

She pushed his arm away and said, "You say those damn words all the time."

"Like bloody hell I do." He messed up her hair. They went back to sitting at the counter.

"Ha, ha dad." After a couple of minutes of a comfortable silence, Emily looked over to her dad and quietly said, "Love you, dad."

He looked over to his daughter and smiled, "I love you too darling."

/\

Gillian was leaning into John's body. She ran her fingers through the hair on his chest. She sighed contently as she felt John rubbing his hand along her arm. She thought that he was asleep. She didn't mean to wake him, but she was filled to the brim with electricity. She couldn't go to sleep, not feeling this good. John brought his other hand over and started to caress her side. Goosebumps instantly erupted over her skin. She nuzzled her face deeper into his neck, this time eliciting goosebumps over his skin. She smiled and then giggled. He moved his body so that he was lying on top. He started to kiss her neck. She wiggled herself so that she could give him better access. He lifted himself up to get a better look at her face and smiled. Even though it was dark in her room, she could see the sparkle in his eyes. He leaned his head against his right hand and said, "You are somethin'."

Gillian shrugged her shoulders, "I try."

He took his left hand and started to caress her cheek. "You are. You… you are different th… than any other women I… I've been with." He scratched an imaginary itch on his forehead as he chuckled to himself in embarrassment. "I've neva been good at this feeling stuff."

Gillian cocked her head to the side and her brow pinched. "You're not telling me something."

He laughed nervously, "God, you're turnin' into Cal."

She squinted her eyes, "And why are you bringing up his name while we are naked in a bed together?"

"Why are you…" he scratched his forehead again. "Look, I've wanted to tell you this since dinner, but you just looked so gorgeous that I didn't want to ruin the moment." He took a few seconds to gather his courage. "I got a call from my boss this afternoon. He wants me to go back to England."

She put both of her hands on his chest and slightly pushed him away. "Umm… wow, you should have told me that at dinner." She was now starting to try and wiggle out from under his weight.

"Gillian, I want you to come with me." She stopped moving and stared into his face. He kissed her cheek affectionately. "I know you are shocked and I wouldn't be surprised if you said no, but I beg you to at least think about it. You 'ave changed my life in ways... in ways that I neva thought that wos possible. You are different than any other women I've been with. I don't wanna freak you out but I'm fallin' for you and I'm fallin' for you hard. I wanna spend my life with you and wot way to start than in England."

Gillian had stopped trying to get out from under him. "John, I don't know what to say to that. I know being with you has made me happy, happier than I've been in a long time. And a trip to England sounds exciting and different."

John smiled, "I sense a big 'but' comin'."

She laughed softly as she brought up her hand to play with his hair. Despite all of the men she dated, they all had short hair, with the exception of Alec. She used to spend hours just twisting and turning her finger through his hair. She sighed. This conversation wasn't going to be easy. She wished that she was at least in some sort of clothing. "But, I don't think I can just drop the life that I have here. I've put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the life I have now and I don't want to just… turn my back on it. There are a lot of things I have accomplished and there are things that I want to explore."

John slid off to her side and looked very serious. "Does this 'ave anything to do with Cal?"

She took a moment to think about his question. She had always thought that they would get together and have more than just a professional and friendly relationship. However, the way he has been acting and carrying on these other women, she has come to realize that they might never get a chance at exploring those feelings that are behind their sizzling chemistry. Even Alec had sensed it immediately when they were married. She lost count on how many fights they had over the business and Cal's approaches. In many ways she felt heartbroken, knowing that in her deepest of heart they will never be more than just friends and colleagues.

She looked over to John and saw that he was waiting patiently for her answer. How could she deny him the prospect of being happy? She was happy with him, but there will always be that little thought lurking in the back of her brain waiting to reveal itself after a fight or in her dreams - that thought of what if; what if she and Cal got together. But it always came down to two things; one, the way he has been treating her, like a second class piece of garbage; and two, he has had his chance, for a long time now. He's had his chance to tell her, to show her and he always backed down in the last minute. That day they were saving Burns from those thugs, Cal had come very close into revealing his true feelings. But then he brushed it off as an act. Then there was that time she had drank all of his good scotch. She remembered it clearly, like she was drinking water instead of alcohol. She was about to tell him how she felt and he abruptly changed the subject. Being a few sheets to the wind, she went with it, not giving it one thought. It was in the morning that she had remembered what had happened. She had coward into her sheets and didn't come out until she knew that they were never going to jump this hill.

"Gillian? Are you still alive?"

She looked over to him to see that he was smiling. She beamed back, though it was only half-hearted. "Barely. I'm sorry, I went into la-la land."

He shook his head and said, "It wos a loaded question. I know the relationship that you both have is very deep. I would be more surprised if you answered me immediately."

She nuzzled her head into his chest and mumbled, "Can we talk about this tomorrow?" She knew it was the easy way out but at least it would give her some time to think about Cal and the company and the pros and cons of going to England.

He brought her closer to his body and said sweetly, "Whatever you decision, I will always love you. I'll neva drag you through the mud or lead you to somewhere that you don't want to go. I promise to give you anything that you want."

Gillian sighed, not out of content, but out of the big decision that she will have to eventually make on her own.

* * *

><p><strong>What would your answer to John be?<strong>

**TBC...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, so I definitely know what your answer would be! LOL! But Gillian has yet to make up her mind! Another long chapter for ya! **

**Humbly yours... :)**

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><p><span>Pros:<span>

-John

-will get a chance to see the world

-John

-can start a new life

-John

-has a chance to see Jude Law

Cons:

-Cal

Gillian sat at her desk staring at her list. She knew some of the things on it were ridiculous but she kept going back to John on the pro's side and she had nothing else holding her back except for Cal on the con's side. She threw down the pen and crumpled up the paper and then made sure to shred it. Being the coward that she was, that morning she got up and mumbled something about forgetting some files at work. She knew it was a piece of crap lie but he had accepted it. Now she was here working on a stupid pro/con list with no one in sight.

She just should say yes to John and be done with it. He was a sweet man, an excellent lover and he wanted to have kids just as much as she did. He was the perfect catch to any normal woman, but there was one thing holding her back.

"Wot are you doin' here on a Sunday?" Speak of the devil and the possessor of her thought for the last 10 hours and 28 minutes.

She turned her chair around to see that he was leaning against the door. He looked awful, like he had a fight with a scotch bottle and lost. "I could ask the same thing."

He was surprised at how she looked; hardly any make-up, messy hair and mousey clothes. Not to mention the bags under her eyes. He walked in further into her office and sat down at a chair in front of her desk. "Looks like we both didn't get any sleep last night." He wasn't trying to be coy; he was just stating a fact.

She took it as is. "Yeah, I hardly got a wink in. I have some files that I needed to work on before tomorrow, so I came in."

"I thought that you would be with John all day." Her state of dress would make sense to him if she was happy and humming to herself. But she wasn't, she looked quite the opposite.

She squinted her eyes, "Why would you think that?"

He shrugged his shoulder and said nonchalantly, "Because if I had you all to myself, I wouldn't have let you gone off to do work." He flicked his hand in the air nonchalantly. Is there trouble in paradise?" Why hide his feeling now? He was convinced that she was happy with another man.

She was surprised by his full brutal honesty. Her anger started to bubble in her chest. "Why would you say something like that? And for your information, no there is no trouble. Now, I have a lot of work to get done, so if you were to see yourself out."

His anger was starting to bubble as well. "Well excuse me for caring about you and your bloody happiness. And for your information there is trouble in paradise," he leaned in and pointed to her face. "It's written all over that sweet face of yours darlin'."

She slapped his finger away. For the life of her she couldn't remember why she wanted to stay in DC in the first place. She grinned as placidly as possible and said, "John asked me to move to England with him and I think I might just go with him. Now if you will excuse me, I am in desperate need of a diet coke." She calmly got up and walked out of the office. When she looked back, her heart dropped into her stomach. Cal was hunched over in a chair holding his head between his hands. He looked defeated. She kept walking, albeit feeling more like she was walking with jell-o legs. She went into the kitchen area and got a diet coke from the fridge. After closing the door, she leaned against the cool fridge, giving herself a moment to calm her racing heart. And, in the back of her mind, giving Cal enough time to leave her office. She couldn't see him the way she left him. It almost broke her heart in two.

After gulping down half of her drink, she took a deep breath and made her way back to the office. She was relieved when she didn't see his slumped figure in the chair. She walked in a sat down to get some work done. Just as she picked up her pen and voice from the door startled her. "You can't leave me. I need you too much."He sounded like he had nothing to lose. Gillian glanced up and saw that Cal was back in her door way and he was showing everything that he was feeling. It was almost too much for her to handle but for some ungodly reason, she couldn't look away. He held her gaze with his clear eyes. There was no more lying or pulling the pigtails. It was just Cal being open and honest with Gillian. The way it should have been from the start. "I need you. Please don't leave." There was no whine or anger in his voice; it was pure and blatant honesty.

"Cal…" She didn't know what to say. To him however, saying his name meant everything. She tried again. "Cal, he just asked last night. I'm still thinking about it. I don't know…" Her heart started to pound against her chest. Subconsciously she brought her hand up to her chest, almost willing it to slow down.

There were so many things he could have said to make her stay. Most of them were just as rude and mean as the next except for what he had been saying all along. "Please don't leave."

She snorted under her breath and finally looked away. "Is that all you can say to me?"

"Until you get it through you thick skull that I want you to stay; yes."

She stood up from her chair with such force that it knocked over. Not caring about the chair, she walked around her desk. "You coward. Why don't you tell me how you really feel, instead of hiding behind a stupid three word sentences?"

He took a step in, becoming closer to Gillian than they had been in weeks. "You're callin' me the coward? I don't see you racin' to tell me how you really feel. You're even more of a coward standing behind that stupid bloody line of yours. It's like the fucking Great Wall of China. Every time I try to step over it, you make the walls higher."

She raised her voice to match his, "It doesn't help that you have been rude and disrespectful to me, treating me like I'm the scum of the Earth. Well it doesn't help that your screwing every great pair of legs that walks by." Tears were starting to brim in her eyes. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she sighed. She looked down and barely whispered, "It doesn't help that you flaunt these things in front of me and the whole wide world. You embarrass me and you make me feel like I am nothing to you except a warm body to use when you're in trouble. You don't need me, Cal. You need a fall back girl." She looked at him with eyes so gray that it made the thunder clouds look like sunshine. She had tears running down her cheeks. She made no move to stop them. "You need to let me go, let me live the life I want to live. Let me be happy for once."

He never knew she felt like that. He knew she was tired of him. He knew she was unhappy with him. He never knew he made her feel like that. He looked down in disgust and tried to control his emotions. He opened and closed his mouth, not know what to say. He looked up to her, tears starting to show in his own eyes. He was having a hell of a time keeping his emotions in check and by the looks of it, his emotions were winning. "You mean everything to me. I neva meant to make you feel like that. I'm sorry, Gillian."

Gillian looked down finally brushing away her angry tears. "Cal, I think it's a little too late for apologizes. We should have been open and honest with each other from the get-go. Now that we have learned our lesson, we should move on with our lives."

Cal grabbed her hand and whispered, "I have learned my lesson but I don't wanna move on. I wanna stand still with you and watch the world pass by us."

Gillian sighed, "Cal, that was very poetic but-"

"If you want poetry or love letters or haikus, I'll give it to you. I'll give you anything if you just stay here with me, holding my hand, watching the world slip away." He stepped closer so that they were an inch apart. He grabbed her hand and held on tight. "I want you Gil. I've always wanted you. Everyone else has been ruffles to your feathers. I have always loved you." He snaked his other hand around the back of her neck and pulled her closer. Their foreheads were touching but he never lost eye contact with her. "Please, Gillian. I know I am anything but perfect and I don't know if I can give you children or the perfect life, but I know without a doubt I can give you my heart. Give me one more chance and I promise ya, I'll neva let you down. Stay with me." His last three words were barely above a whisper but Gillian heard every word.

Then a voice called out from the door, "Am I interruptin' anything?"

Gillian took a step back but her eyes nor her hand never left Cal's. "No, I just told Cal about what you asked me last night."

John looked over to Cal and said, "And I can tell he took it well." When no one answered him, he went on, "Listen, Gillian, can I talk to you for a moment… in private?" Gillian looked over to Cal and nodded her head silently. He gently squeezed her hand and left her office without saying a word.

John was about to start talking when she held up a finger and went to her computer. After hitting some keys she looked up and smiled. "There, total privacy."

"Umm… Gillian, I gotta call from my boss. He has bought two plane tickets for London for tonight. I know it's all last minute, but I hope you're still considerin' comin' with me."

Gillian slumped down into her chair. "To be honest, I don't think I can give you an answer by tonight. Things have come to light-"

"Yes, I saw." He was being short with her, letting his anger get the best of him. He slowed down and said, "Please Gillian, I 'ave known Cal for a long time. He's a dog and is willing to say anything to get wot he wants. I could tell from the first day that there was tension between you two."

"Some things have changed." She was acting like a child and she knew it.

"But he doesn't. Whatcha see from him is whatcha get." John closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and walked around her desk and knelt in front of her. He took her hand and softly said "Gillian, I don't know what he said to ya and frankly I don't care. He's had his chance to tell you those things for a long time now." He gently squeezed her hand and continued on. "I know we haven't known each other for a long time, but I know what we have is real. I've neva felt like this with any other woman. I will give you anything you want just to see that you're happy." He reached in his pocket and brought out a plane ticket. He put it on her desk and said, "If you decide to come with me, I'll be the happiest man in the world. The plane takes off at 9:30 tonight." He lightly kissed her lips and whispered in her ear, "Please, Gillian, come with me." He stood up and squeezed her hand. He walked around her desk towards the door. Before he left, he turned around and said, "9:30 tonight." She nodded her head and he left.

She then dropped her head between her hands, her body shaking. What was she supposed to do now?

/\

Soon after John left, Gillian decided that she had to leave too. Right as she walked in her house, she picked up the phone and called her best friend from California. She was a very spirited woman who also gave the best advice. Her name was Liza. While telling her everything that went on, her friend stayed quiet. When she finished, Liza took a moment to absorb everything and then said, "So let me get this straight. You met this man named John, who is originally from England. You've dated a couple times and you got a good vibe from him. Then he springs on you that his work is taking him back to London and he asked you to come with him. When you told this to Cal, he flipped on you and told you that he loves you. Am I right?"

"Basically, yeah."

"And you've been in love with Cal for how long?"

"Does that really matter in this story?"

Liza barked out a laugh, "Of course it does, Gilly. If you're in love with Cal then I say screw Hugh Grant over there and stay in DC. But if you're not sure if you're in love with Cal, then I say take a chance with Hugh. What's the worst that can happen? Ya'll break up and you come back to DC with your tail between your legs. If Cal really meant what he said to you, then he would take you back, no questions asked. So are you in love with Cal, yes or no?"

"It's complicated-"

"There's nothing complicated when it comes to love. Yes or no Gilly?"

After a couple of seconds, Gillian whispered, "Yes." She collapsed on her couch, slumping over so that she was holding her head in her hands. "Yes, I love him, but it's been complicated for a long time. He's hurt my feelings I don't know how many times. It seems like he doesn't trust me half the time. It's just… it's complicated."

"Gillian, I hate to break it to ya, but Cal is just being a man, plain and simple." When Gillian didn't respond, Liza asked, "Do you remember Greg Holson from fourth grade?"

Gillian lightly laughed, "Of course I do. He made my fourth grade life a living hell."

"Do you remember what he told you our senior year?"

"The reason he did all those things to me in fourth grade was because he liked me." Somehow after saying it, things started to sink in. Gillian sighed, "Liza, he's hurt me too many times to count."

"But he did it out of love Gillian, not out of spite."

Tears started to leak out, "Liza, what should I do?"

"Gilly, honey, I wish I could tell you what to do, but it's got to be your decision. Whatever you decide, though, I'm with you one hundred percent. Besties forever, remember?"

Gillian sighed as she wiped away her tears. "Yeah, besties forever. I don't know what I would have done without you Liza."

Very seriously, she said, "You would have become a stripper."

"HA! Yeah right! Besides, that night was all your doing, not mine." Both women laughed at the memory. After thanking her and promising her to keep her up to date, Gillian hung up. She sat on her couch for a long time, just thinking of what to do. Then after much thought, she got up and stretched. Now she knew what she had to do. She looked at the clock. It had just turned five o'clock. She didn't have much time.

She ran up the stairs to her bedroom and pulled out a bag.

* * *

><p><strong>Next chapter is the last! And you will find out Gillian's answer!<strong>

**TBC...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's the last chapter! **

* * *

><p><strong><span>7:23 pm<span>**

Gillian stepped out of the car at the airport. She slung her purse over her shoulder and made sure the ticket that John gave her was in her hand. She made it to the door, when her nerves got the best of her. She almost turned, but decided against it. "I can do this." She muttered to herself.

John had told her that he would be waiting at the Starbucks in front of his terminal. When she got there, she saw him in the back, reading something on his phone.

He looked up just as she was making her way to him. His whole face lit up. He stood and greeted her by throwing his arms around her waist.

She wrapped her arms around his neck while biting the side of her lip.

He leaned back and whispered, "I'm so glad your here!"

Gillian smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. She asked, "Is there enough time for a cup of coffee?"

John nodded enthusiastically. While he went to go get their coffees, she sat down in her seat, trying to pluck up the courage to do this. She placed her hand over her heart to calm the rampant beating. When John returned, they started talking.

**9:45 pm**

Cal looked at the clock for the hundredth time. He knew by the flight times, that British Airways had already taken off. And since he didn't hear from Gillian, he knew that she was on that plane.

He tried with all his might to push that image away. It took everything he had not to cry like a little baby. He had to follow her. He had to get her back at whatever cost it took. She was meant to be with him and him only. How could he have let things get to crazy? If only he was honest with her from the moment he saw her. If he just didn't push her buttons, maybe she would have chosen him instead of John.

Cal took a swig from his glass and then slammed it down on the counter.

Then out of the silence came a knock at the door. In the morning, before talking with Gillian, he made a date with Wallowski. Well actually, she made a date with him. He wasn't paying attention to her and as a result he inadvertently agreed to have a date with her. A stupid thing to do now but after everything in the morning, he had forgotten to call her to cancel. The knock came again, but he ignored it. Maybe she would get the idea and leave him alone.

After a few moments the knocking stopped. Then his phone began to ring. Without looking at the caller I.D. he threw his phone across the room to where it landed on the couch.

He soon drowned out the noises as the scotch seared down his throat. He was going to get obliterated tonight and then tomorrow he was going to figure out a way to get Gillian back. He poured himself another helping and then raised his glass in the air. "Gillian, where eva you are, I'm coming after you and I'm gonna convince you if it's the last thing I do that we belong together."

"You don't have to come after me, I'm right here."

Cal dropped his glass on the counter at the sound of her voice. The glass shattered everywhere, but he didn't care. He turned around and saw Gillian in his living room, holding an overnight bag.

She smiled sweetly at him and said, "And you don't have to convince me, I already know. I'm in love with you and only you. I want to watch the world go by holding your hand and your hand only."

Cal walked up to Gillian very slowly. His mouth had dropped to the floor and he had yet to pick it back up. When he was inches away from her body, he poked her shoulder, once, twice, tree times. He then cradled her head with both of his hands. Finally he croaked, "You're really here, in my livin' room."

She nodded, the smile never leaving her face. "Yes, I'm really here and I'm never going away. I tried calling and kno-"

Then without any preamble, he kissed her. Softly at first, but when it finally donned on him that she was in his living room and he was touching her, their kisses became deeper. After seven glorious minutes of feeling like he was in Heaven, they broke the kiss. He snaked his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him, silently promising himself and God that he was never going to let her go. He humbly whispered in her ear, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For choosing me."

She lifted and tilted her head back so that she could properly see him. "I have and will always choose you."

"I thought you were on the plane with John."

"I went to the airport and gave him the ticket. We sat for a couple minutes and I told him that I chose you. For some reason, I think he knew that I was going to choose you because he brought out an envelope and he told me to give it to you." She bent down to her bag and brought out the note.

Cal opened the letter and read to himself;

"Cal,

If you're reading this note then you have Gillian in your arms. In the back of my mind I knew she would choose you. She has been faithful to you for all these years. If you break her heart, I swear to God, I will not be responsible for my actions. She is a feisty one. Hold on tight, cousin. And whatever you do, don't ever let go.

I hope there are no hard feelings.

Your cousin a.k.a your partner in crime,  
>John<p>

P.S. Make sure you give my mum a ring when you get the chance. She would love to hear from you."

Cal folded the note and stuck it in his pocket. Gillian looked curious as to what was said in the note but she didn't voice her questions. Instead Cal asked, "What's the bag for?"

She started to blush but said confidently, "I'm staying the night. In fact, I'm staying the whole weekend. I figured by the time Monday rolls around we would have figured out how to carry out our relationship."

He picked up the bag and was surprise at how much it weighed. "This is a very light weekend bag."

Gillian smiled seductively, "Well I don't plan on wearing a lot of clothes." She turned towards the stairs and started walking.

Cal quickly followed after her. After catching up with her, they went upstairs holding hands.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to everyone who came along for the ride! I'm glad it was enjoyed by so many! :)<strong>

**Now, I have one more 'Lie to Me' fic, but I'm afraid it will be the last. Both stories were written before I found out the the show was cancelled. I'm crossing my fingers that it will get picked up by a different network! I do have some fics lined up for Law and Order: CI, if anyone is interested! **

**Thank you again for all the suga! Humbly yours...**


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